Release
by ResistanceBlade
Summary: "I will ferry the soul of your tormentor straight into the depths of Hell..." A girl who feels pain and torment wants release from this world. Her options are suicide, or vengeance with a horrid price. Oneshot


**A Hell Girl story I wrote after watching some episodes, which are awsome, by the way. Disclaimer: Don't own Hell Girl (duh)**

She just couldn't go on.

Not when, to say the least, she was being bullied, hurt, and, most of all, used.

She felt so terrible inside; her eyes were always producing a shower of tears whenever she came home from school, her place of torment. Only, it wasn't just at school.

It was everywhere.

Everywhere they would be: the group who thought they would have a higher social standing if they only 'picked' on her. In other words, would be more popular if they hurt an innocent girl.

If they used her.

There wasn't anything she could do about it. Blackmail was such a terrible thing.

"_If you promise not to tell anyone, we won't upload these pics of you," _she had said with a sneer. Her wrestling 'buddies' all laughed along with her.

The girl had trembled, tears brimming the emeralds.

She had felt so helpless.

"_You'll probably get put on the sex-offender list, for all I know. After all, we do have _your _computer. You'll have zero proof that it was us, you Bitch."_

She was weak.

But, she had a small sliver of hope. Having overheard a rumor, she now sat before her commuter screen, its white glow illuminating her dark bedroom.

Green eyes scanned the page, her hand trying desperately to find the website. She then remembered the bit of the rumor that one must wait until midnight, and decided to wait.

Only two minutes left, and hopefully her torment would cease.

She didn't know why she had such faith that Hell Correspondence would work. After all, it was only a rumor.

But, her only alternative was suicide. But even then, her reputation on this Earth may be ruined by a few misunderstood pictures, pictures she had been forced to pose for.

It shouldn't matter after she's dead, but she longed for revenge. She wanted to make them all pay.

But, the leader, a girl whom had made the boy's wrestling team, deserved to suffer the most. After all, picking on innocent girls was her idea. She made all the decisions.

And now, the girl she had harmed and broke the most would see that she be in her place, somehow.

Her finger on the mouse, she clicked onto the link as her commuter screen read midnight. A flame engulfed a portion of the black screen before the words appeared with a textbox underneath.

"We will take revenge, on your behalf," says the words left by the flame.

_Oh, I hope you will. I hope you send her to Hell._

The name has been typed. Now, all that must be done is to press the "Send" button.

But what will become of her, if her torment is avenged?

_No! It doesn't matter. She needs to be gone. I hear Hell Girl will take her away. I'll be doing everyone else at school a favor. I'll be doing myself a favor. Even if I cannot extract revenge against all of them, at least she would have taken their asshole of a leader. _

The girl watches as the hourglass spins, the "send" having been pressed.

* * *

><p>"Ai, you have a message, dear," says an old woman's voice as she spins her sewing wheel.<p>

"I'll be right there, Grandmother."

* * *

><p>The next day, the tormented girl walks to school cautiously, her mind still set on last night.<p>

_Maybe she's already gone? _

Walking from the gate to the front of the school, she witnesses an unpleasant sight.

"Hey, Bitch!" a rough female voice shouts, her lips in a sneer.

_No! It…it didn't work! It was all just a stupid rumor!_

The tomboy walked closer, her hands in fists.

"What's wrong? Aren't you glad to see me? Now, carry my books, my arms are still sore from last night," she says in a commanding voice, her books ready to fall onto the smaller girl.

Her eyes wide in bewilderment, the girl just stares, trying to suppress tears. She hated that girl for causing such suffering, but what could she do? Now that she knew Hell Girl wasn't real, death was her only alternative to escape this living Hell.

"I said, take my books, Rat!"

The girl obliged, her arms filling with a huge weight of math, social studies, and English.

"Now, carry them to class. I got people to talk to," she says uncaringly, barely giving the other girl a glance as she jogged into the building.

The young female tried to glare at her retreating back, but tears fell instead. If she didn't do as the tough girl wanted, she and the other boys on the wrestling team would cause physical harm to her already abused body.

She desperately wanted all this pain to end.

* * *

><p>"I brought your books," the girl says sadly as she places them onto the other's desk.<p>

"What took you so long, Kiko?" the girl seethes, eyes glaring daggers.

Before the young girl could respond, the teacher walks in, his eyes skeptical.

"Utsune-san, I hope you have a good excuse for not being in your seat. That's an automatic tardy."

Kiko desperately wanted to tell her teacher the truth, especially as to why she was usually tardy in the morning, but choose to keep her mouth shut on the subject. After all, it won't be long before any of this mattered anymore, she told herself.

"I'm sorry, Sensei," is all she can say.

At lunch, she sat by herself at the table wedged near the wall. She wanted to be alone, but alas; her tormentors weren't through yet.

_They never will be._

"Hey!" the head bully calls, her hands carrying a tray full of rice and noodles. "I told you not to sit in our spot!"

"But your spot is over there!" Kiko argues, finding courage suddenly.

"Well, now it's over here. Get lost."

_I've taken too much crap from her. Just this once, before I end my life, I want to stand up to her, even if she does send those pictures. But, the pain will end if I chose to live and she does expose them. I may get into a lot of trouble, but anything has to be better than this._

"No! Go find your own table!" she declares boldly, hands clenched in fists.

"What did you say?" she yells back, knuckles cracking.

"I said get lost!"

"Well well, looks like someone needs to be punished," one of the male wrestlers says, his fingers on his tray. He shoots the leader a glance, and she instantly gets his message. The others seem to as well.

"Yeah, I guess she does," she replies. Kiko suddenly felt fear course through her veins.

Food was thrown at her uniform, staining her hair, clothing, and face. All she can do is scream and run, her ears picking up the wild laughter in the cafeteria.

"Yeah! Get lost, Utsune!" she hears as she bolts through the doorway. Her mind picks her destination to be the bathroom, and then the roof.

After all, she wishes to look somewhat decent on her way out of this world.

* * *

><p>Having found her gym clothes, her hair and face washed of the food, she stands on the rooftop, toes dangling over the edge. The cars look smaller from the seventh floor of the school.<p>

_Just let go, Kiko. If Hell Girl really is fake I won't get revenge against Yumi. At least this way my suffering can end._

She takes a deep breath, falling face-first as she exhales.

_Release._

As she falls to earth, a girl, clad in a black school-girl uniform, her long hair as black as the midnight sky, falls with her. Kiko, feeling the ominous presence, looks behind to meet large crimson eyes staring back.

Only, now...she was no longer falling. Before her was a tall tree, the background a crimson sunset. Standing, only a few feet away, was the mysterious girl.

"You summoned me," she says in a gentle, almost whisper voice.

"U-uh, yes…are y-you the Hell Girl?" Kiko says, the shock begin to fade.

"My name is Ai. This is for you." In her hand was a black, straw voodoo doll, a crimson thread around its neck. Kiko took it gently in her hands, her eyes staring at it curiously.

"If you truly wish revenge, just untie the scarlet thread from his neck. Pulling the thread binds you into a covenant with me. I will ferry the soul of your tormentor straight into the depths of Hell."

Kiko scrutinized the doll, her hand over the thread.

"However, once vengeance is served, you will have to deliver your end of the bargain. There always has to be a price. When you die, your soul will also belong to Hell," Ai says, her expression never wavering. Kiko's eyes widen slightly as she absorbs the information.

_Hell? _

"You will never know the joys of Heaven. You will be left to wander through a world made of pain and agony, for all of eternity."

A hand grabs the bewildered girl's arm, pulling her downward. The hot lava beneath her body bites, pieces of her skin melting away. She screams as she's pulled further into the burning substance, more hands forcing her downward. Blood burns away at the hot liquid. Eventually she cannot breathe, blackness consuming her vision.

Jade eyes snap open, the scenery different. A car zips by, water splashing over the terrified girl. She looks to the straw doll in her hands.

"And now, the decision rests with you," she hears Ai say, her body nowhere in sight.

* * *

><p>That night, Kiko lied awake, thinking over and over what her decision will be. If she did pull the thread, Yumi would get what she deserved. She would suffer and feel pain, probably much worse than the pain Kiko felt. But, that meant she would go to Hell as well. At least she would be able to live the rest of her life, but there was no grantee that her time on Earth would instantly become better if Yumi were gone. There were still the other boys….If only she could steal those pictures. But, she didn't know how many sources they kept the pictures in, or if all of the wrestlers had it via text or email. She just couldn't take any chances.<p>

Eyes set determined, Kiko decided she would just end her life. At least this way she may get salvation and know the joys of Heaven.

_Sorry, Ai…I don't think I'll need your doll anymore. I will hang on to it for tomorrow, though, just in case._

With that, she closed her eyes, her mind tuning to sub-consciousness not long after.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Kiko's mother came into the room, pulling the cerulean curtains to reveal a stream of golden sunlight.<p>

"Kiko, time to wake up," she sang happily. Kiko merely grunted in response, her body wanting a few more minutes of precious sleep.

"Come on, honey, time for school."

_School…_

Her memories crashed back into her mind, her breathing accelerating.

_How could I forget?_

She rose out of bed, looking at her mother. Her green eyes held sadness, tears wanting to fall.

_This may be the last time I will see her…._

"Kiko, what's wrong, sweetheart?"

"N-nothing, Okasan," she replied, her arms lacing around her mother's waist.

"Kiko…."

She shared the mother-daughter moment a bit longer before the younger female suddenly pulls away.

"I-I better get ready for school…I don't want to be late," she said with a sad smile.

"Yeah…I have breakfast downstairs for you, when you're done."

The mother headed for the doorway.

"Okasan?"

"Hmm?" she turned to gaze into her daughter's caring eyes.

"I love you."

The mother smiled, eyes sparkling.

"I love you too, Kiko."

* * *

><p>As Kiko sat in her fourth hour class, she stared at the black doll now resting in her palm. Ai's words kept replaying in her head, as though they were a broken record.<p>

"_I will ferry the soul of your tormentor straight into the depths of Hell. However, once vengeance is served, you will have to deliver your end of the bargain. There always has to be a price. When you die, your soul will also belong to Hell."_

Would getting revenge against Yumi really solve all of her problems? She would have to live the rest of her life knowing that someday she would have the same fate.

Looking up from the doll, Kiko focused her attention outside, watching as leaves fell to the grass, landing in a mismatched pattern.

"Yo, Utsune."

_Oh no._

Looking to her right, Yumi stomped through the doorway.

"Come on, we're going out for lunch."

"But…I already hav-"

"I don't care. You're buying," she interrupts, stepping closer.

"I don't have any money!" Kiko declares, standing from her seat. She quickly shoves the doll into her pocket, Yumi not noticing through her anger.

"Me neither! So…unless you want everyone to see those pictures, I suggest you find some way to cough up some cash."

Kiko heard enough. She felt she had put up with Yumi's bullying for too long, and just wanted everything to end. If she were going to die anyway, why not stand up to Yumi now?

"No. I refuse to do anything for you anymore. I'm _done."_

Yumi was a bit taken back, but then smirked as an idea settled into her mind.

"Are you sure about that," she says sarcastically.

Kiko's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, but then hardened to determination.

"Yes."

"Hn….fine, then. OH BOYS!" she yells. Sure enough, the rest of the wrestlers appear in the doorway.

"It seems like Kiko doesn't have any money, or wants to even try to get us some," she tells them, her eyes never leaving Kiko's.

"Hm…sounds like _trash _to me," another responds. Yumi understood what he was foreshadowing.

"Yeah, sure does…" She then snaps her fingers, the boys moving closer to the now trembling girl.

"No!" Kiko tries to run, but strong hands grab her arms.

They drag her through the hallways, one holding onto her and covering her mouth with his hand. She tries to fight and scream to escape, but to no avail.

"Shhh…we're almost there," Yumi sneers as she and the others ascend the stairs.

They force her off the window, the wind slicing through her body. She's screaming freely now, as she falls to earth.

The trash bags counteract her fall. She can feel glass cut her skin, but she was alive.

"Next time," Yumi screams from her high perch on the second floor, "you decide to not bring any money, I'll send the pictures! You tell anyone about this, and you can kiss your social life goodbye, Asshole!"

_What social life? What the hell is she talking about? I hate her! I hate all of them! I hope they suffer in Hell!_

"I…," she begins, but is interrupted by a coughing fit. The wrestlers watch in amusement.

"…will never bring you money! I hate all of you! I hope you all go to Hell! I _will _tell the principle, and you'll all probably be expelled!"

Yumi's eyes widen, but she then smirks. "You sure? Will you really do that?"

Kiko remains silent for a moment, contemplating.

"Yes! I will! You can bet whatever the hell you want that I will!"

Yumi's smirk widens. Kiko, her eyes set in a glare, knows her fate.

"Send the pictures," she tells one of her partners. He smirks, and pulls out Kiko's flip phone, which Yumi cleverly stole and uploaded pictures to.

Kiko closes her eyes, Ai appearing behind them.

"…_to Hell."_

_I know what will happen to me…but I want revenge more than anything right now. I will never forgive them. And at this moment…they're ruining my chances of ever doing anything great in my life. If anyone saw those pictures…they wouldn't accept me. No colleges, no job…my own parents might hate me. If I were to die now, no one would care to know the truth. Even if it is Hell…At least I know one of my tormentors will suffer._

She climbs from the garbage, grim and rotting fruit clinging to her. A banana peel found its way into her black hair, sticking.

"Hey, Yumi!" she calls up defiantly. Fortunately, the doll stayed inside her pocket during the fall and the hard landing.

"What, Utsune? Your life is over! Even if you tell, you can't prove that you were forced to take the pictures! Heck, you can't even prove it was we who threw you into the trash! I'm a straight-A student, and all the teachers love me! The women look up to me! There's not much you can do! You're screwed!"

Kiko looked at the crimson thread, tied neatly to the straw doll. From the building above, a girl with large ruby-red eyes watched.

"You think she'll do it, Mistress? And damn herself and that other girl?" asks a sultry woman in a kimono, her eyes looking to the scene below.

"I don't know. Let's see how things work out," Ai responds in a distant voice, her face never losing its composure.

Kiko stares down a little longer, ignoring the insults being thrown at her from above.

Suddenly, she smirks.

"Hey, Yumi!" she calls, head downward. She then picks her head up, defiance in her features, her smirk never wavering.

"What?"

"See you," her fingers rip the material off the doll, the thread falling to the ground.

"…in Hell!"

A wind picks up, carrying the doll away until it disappears.

"Your grievance shall be avenged," speaks a deep male voice, the owner not visible.

"What the frick does that mean, Utsune? You don't make any sense!" the tomboy says, sarcasm dripping from her words.

* * *

><p>Somewhere far off, a girl with long black hair prepares. The flowered kimono now adorning her body, she flies off in her carriage, fire engulfing the bottom.<p>

* * *

><p>As Yumi walks to the cafeteria, a smirk in her features, she notices the hallway becoming darker.<p>

"What the hell? Who turned the lights off in here?" Annoyed, she searches for a switch.

Only, instead of plastic, she came in contact with something electrical. The currents spread through her body, her scream piercing.

Once released, she falls to the ground, pain shooting into her leg.

"What the hell is going on?" she demands, trying to stand but unable to.

Through the blackness she could see Kiko, walking, but then stopping right before her, just out of arm's length.

"Do something, Utsune!"

Kiko just stares, her gaze uncomfortable. Excruciating pain shoots throughout Yumi's other limbs, her scream deafening. Blood soaked the tile beneath her.

"DO SOMETHING, DAMNMIT!"

"Well, what do we have here?" says a male voice, his handsome face covered a bit by long bangs.

"HELP ME!" she screams, her hands squeezing her leg.

"I don't think we can, after seeing those pictures that were emailed to us," says an older, balding man clad in dress clothes.

"What pictures? The only bad pictures sent were those of Kiko!"

"Yes, well…we did some research and questioning, and it turned out she had been forced to," says a dark-haired woman.

"What? Who told you? Was it those boys?" yells Yumi, her face contorted in anger.

"Ah…so you admit to your crime?" asks the old man with a smile.

"So what? We were just messing with her, I mean come on, we're just kids, it's not like we'll get in a ton of trouble or anything like we would if we were older."

"Those kinds of pictures can get you on the sex-offender list, even if you are just in ninth grade. It's a serious crime that can make it difficult for one to have a normal life," says the younger man.

"Whatever, it's not like I seriously care," Yumi responds in annoyance. Suddenly, Kiko walks closer, grabbing the girl by her hair and dragging her near the window.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, KIKO?" she screams. Suddenly she's falling, the ground growing closer.

Ai appears behind the girl as she falls, reciting the line she always does to those who have committed sins.

"Oh pitiful shadow lost in the darkness, bringing torment and pain to others. Oh, damned soul, wallowing in your sin. Perhaps, it is time to die."

Yumi spins to face her, but her vision is nothing but blackness, except for Hell Girl, whose arm is outreached to the side. The colorful flower patterns on the kimono's sleeve shoot out at her, the girl slipping into unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>Yumi gasps as she awakes. Looking around, she notices water, paper lanterns floating on its surface. She is on a boat, Ai pushing an oar into the misty waters. The sky is dark and hazy, a purple four-leaved shape floating in the sky. It almost reminded her of a jellyfish.<p>

"Where am I? Where are you taking me?" Yumi yells. She tries to get up, but bony hands with rotting flesh grab onto her limbs, forcing her downwards.

She begins to beg and scream.

"This is vengeance," states Ai, her facial expression never wavering, eyes looking straight ahead. Yumi continues to beg for mercy, her screams deafening.

"…so I am to ferry you to Hell."

* * *

><p>As a slightly happier Kiko leaves to her locker the same day, she packs her things into her bag. She hasn't been asked about the pictures yet, which she felt was a great sign. Hopefully she could play sick for tomorrow.<p>

As she leaves, she walks past a window to a classroom, her reflection visible. Walking closer and pulling down the collar of her shirt, she could see a black flame mark.

The mark of her covenant with Ai, and the reminder of her fate.

She sighed sadly. Now she would worry about her life after death, no matter how hard she tried to forget.

"If you embark on a quest for revenge, dig two graves," they say. Well, at least she would have the rest of her life to look forward to.

It was just what came after that tugged at her mind.

"_There always has to be a price."_

There would have been a price for killing herself as well. Her family would have been heartbroken. At least this way she could still be with them in this world.

She smiled a bit, walking out of the building.

_I know I'll have to face the consequences of my actions, but I should at least try to enjoy what's left of my life._

* * *

><p>A candle was placed in a new spot amongst many, "Kiko Utsune" written along the side.<p>

"Your grievance shall be avenged," says Ai.

* * *

><p>As Kiko walked home from school, she crossed a main road. A man, not paying attention to the traffic light, comes closer to the young girl. Just as she looks up at the headlight, rapidly growing bigger, she is struck. She had only moments to suffer in the pain before a strange peaceful blackness overcame everything.<p>

Kiko's candle went out.

* * *

><p>Emerald eyes snap open. As she gets into a sitting position, she notices that across from her in the boat is Ai, her crimson eyes staring into hers.<p>

"What happened?" asks Kiko, looking around at her strange surroundings.

"You died," she responds in a monotonous, hushed voice.

"So soon? I didn't even make it home…" she says sadly, a tear falling from her face.

"For you to uphold your end of the bargain, I am to ferry you to Hell."

Kiko remained silent, thinking about her fate. It seemed as though everything she had just done backfired. She couldn't even enjoy the little time she had in a world not completely made of pain and agony.

_Well, at least I won't have to worry about it anymore, and I did tell Okasan I loved her one last time. It may be forever, but, there's nothing I can do. _

_But at least, this is some sort of release. _

**A/N: Note: 'Okasan' means 'Mom.' 'Sensei' is a suffix for teachers, or it plainly means 'teacher.' 'San' is a polite suffix used at the end of one's name. Anyway, just put that stuff there in case you didn't know. I think my story turned out pretty well. Tell me what you think with (it looks like I'm shouting cuz most people probably won't even read this, but the caps might get their attention) REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! **


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